I happened to meet a personality who declared himself Corona positive at 11 pm one night. This was 5 days after I had met him. That night I could not sleep. I did not know whom to curse more and I cursed everyone that night.
Next morning, I informed my neighbours, my workplace and my immediate family that I had been in contact with a “Positive” and went into “self-isolation”. I informed some, rest were informed by some and soon I felt the world knew of it. Messages like, “Get well soon, stay safe, Don’t worry, Bhagwan par vishvas rakho, you are strong enough etc started to pour. I had started to get irritated though fully aware that all of them meant good for me and cared.
I had zero symptoms but reading all this made me so nervous that my gastrointestinal infection shot. My throat chocked and I suddenly started feeling feverish. Every symptom I knew of being positive seemed developing in me. I started to feel unwell.
I gulped down gallons of warm water with tulsi, took kadha some homemade, some Dabur made and some Guruji made. Vitamin C, vitamin A, zinc, nothing could elude me now. Somehow day 1 passed, with me trying to put a brave front and staying at home completing all my tasks but it was not easy.
Next day again in isolation was a test of my will power, I had begun to break already. I felt I had probably become the topic of discussion over a cup of tea. I started to imagine how people at work would be talking of me having met them just day before. I felt nervous about how people would be thinking of me as a carrier of infection to their homes. I was guilty without being at fault.
Although I had no symptoms, but I still felt scared. Next day was the 8th day since I had met the positive. After having read and re read and re re read the symptom developing period I felt, today was my make or break day. I gulped more kadha powder and it so happened that just then the phone rang. I picked coughing while the powder was still going down my throat and the voice at the other end declared, “Oh God !! Your symptoms seem to be coming, look at you coughing! Soon louder than my coughing she could hear my howling. She did not know that my howling was not for “being “positive but for declaring that I “was” one. I felt frustrated.
I walked 10000 steps in house panting, contemplating getting a test done. Decision was made! I will get myself tested. Between my decision and test were the longest 4 hours of my life. I never knew I was so indecisive.
Finally, my turn arrived and the Dr’s examined me and took my swab for testing.
While I waited for the result, I died and lived 25 lives. Finally !!!. I was declared Negative. That prescription in my hand felt having more value than all my degrees put together.
I flaunted my NEGATIVE AS THE NEW POSITIVE.
This experience made me realize that not once was I scared of being unwell instead I scared of being outcasted. I feared being treated with a fear, fear of everyone moving away from me and fear of what people would talk about me.
I faced it, I felt it, some people even avoided calling or texting me. They didn’t want to even show a chain of contact.
Today I feel proud of my self to self-declare coming in contact with positive and take the correct steps.
Friends, if you ever get positive, remember to fight the fear first. There should not be any shame in declaring and isolating. You will be safe, and you will recover if you isolate yourself not just from human beings, but from social media, from your mobile, from news channels. Use this time to meditate, do the tasks you have not had time to do, create something new, paint, draw, write, sing, make videos ..do anything but get don’t get negative.
Most important, remember it could happen to any one ,any time.
Isolate, heal and bounce back.
Save yourself to save others. You are a warrior
Stay safe.
